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Helpful Instructions on Writing an Essay

Once you have mastered the art of essay writing you will be able to follow the same major guidelines each time, regardless of the topic. The framework of an essay will remain dependable, and by following these easy five step instructions you will be consistently writing successful essays.

Review

The first step in the essay writing process is to have a clear understanding of the instructions. Before beginning any research or consideration, you want to have a thorough understanding the essay and your instructor’s expectations. Once you have determined what exactly is expected of your paper, you will be able to more easily select an essay topic. When choosing your topic you will want to make sure it fits into the prompt, as well as select an original topic that will hold your interest.

Research

After you have reviewed your assignment and selected a topic, it is time to conduct research. In selecting your topic you will have likely already done some research on the topic, but more extensive research on the topic will be needed. Gather research on the background information concerning your topic, as well as sources concerning your topic specifically. Developing a full understanding of your topic is necessary to create the most sound proof argument in your essay.

Plan

Once you have your topic and your research it is time to plan. Your plan for your paper will be our outline. The outline is the skeleton of the information, which will be presented in your paper. Your outline uses numerical and alphabetical system to organize your outline, body, and conclusion. By setting up this plan for yourself, you provide a map to follow throughout the writing process.

Write

Now that you have a plan or outline, it is time to begin writing. Do not be afraid to write your thoughts out. This is your first draft so you should really write anything that comes to mind while following your outline. You will keep only the best of your writing from the first draft, and eliminate the rest.

Edit

As we said, for your first draft you should truly write whatever comes to mind—that is on topic, of course. After you have a first draft of your essay you will be able to create new drafts, and edit until you are fully satisfied. Other means of editing which can be helpful include consulting professors, peers, writing centers or any other helpful resource accessible to you.